Chai Spiced Sweet Potato Chocolate Chip Muffins

Chai spiced sweet potato chocolate chip muffins - Nutrient-packed sweet potato muffins that are super moist and addictingly delicious! Gluten-free, dairy-free, and naturally low in sugar.

Growing up as a kid, we didn’t eat sweet potatoes often. The few times we did, it was usually in the form of  sweet potato casseroles or sweet potato pie for Thanksgiving. Now that I’m older, I can’t get enough of them.

That’s why, regardless of the weather, I wanted to create a super cozy and comforting sweet potato muffin made with chocolate chips (because why not!?) and chai spice!

If you can’t tell from my Instagram, I use this chai spice seasoning on almost everything. Before diving into this muffin recipe, you should totally whip up this amazing chai spice seasoning if you haven’t done so already, then we can get to cooking!

Of course, if you don’t have the time to make a homemade seasoning blend, you can always use a regular chai spice blend found at a grocery store, use pumpkin spice seasoning, or simply cinnamon!

At first glance, it might seem like you need a lot of ingredients for these muffins, but if you look closer, you will see that you might have many of these ingredients already in your pantry! If you don’t have gluten-free fine oat flour then you definitely need to stock up!

If you are worried about buying an entire bag of oat flour just for a muffin recipe, then don’t fret because you can also use this oat flour for many other recipes such as my fluffy, gluten-free pancakes or raspberry almond thumbprint cookies.

If you try this recipe, let us know! Leave a comment, rate it, and don’t forget to tag a photo to #fromtherootsblog on Instagram. We love seeing what you come up with!

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Chai spiced sweet potato chocolate chip muffins - Nutrient-packed sweet potato muffins that are super moist and addictingly delicious! Gluten-free, dairy-free, and naturally low in sugar.

Ingredients

Dry

• 2 cups gluten-free oat flour

• 1 cup superfine blanched almond flour

• ½ cup chocolate chips + plus more for topping

• 1 Tbsp chai spice seasoning

• 1 tsp baking soda

• ¾ tsp baking powder

• ½ tsp salt

Wet

• 1 cup sweet potato puree (from 1 sweet potato)

• ½ cup plant-based, unsweetened milk

• ¼ cup coconut oil

• ¼ cup pure maple syrup

• 2 eggs

• 1 tsp vanilla extract

Directions

1. To cook the sweet potato, peel the sweet potato and cut into small chunks. To a medium pot, add sweet potato chunks to water and boil potatoes until soft. Drain potatoes and blend in a processor, blender, or using a masher until sweet potatoes are pureed. Set aside to cool.

2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line a 12 cup muffin tin with liners and spray the inside of them with nonstick cooking spray.

3. In a medium bowl, whisk the dry ingredients together except the chocolate chips.

4. In a separate large bowl, whisk the wet ingredients until well combined, smooth and creamy. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix until well combined. Gently fold in ½ cup chocolate chips.

5. Divide batter evenly into muffin liners (about ¾ full), and top each with a few chocolate chips. Bake for 25-35 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.

6. Let the muffins cool for 5 minutes and then remove and transfer muffins to a wire rack to finish cooling.

Notes

• Remember - if you want this to be a true dairy-free version, use dark chocolate chips that have no milk.

• If you would like to make this recipe lower in oil, you can use 2 tablespoons of oil. It will just not be as moist - more on the crumbly side but still delicious!

• If you need help finding the best ingredient brands, these are what I use! Gluten-free whole grain oat flour, superfine almond flour, dairy free chocolate chips, vanilla extract

• If you  have leftover sweet potato puree, you can make this pumpkin pie protein smoothie - just replace pumpkin with sweet potato!

Quinoa Breakfast Bowls 2 Ways

Quinoa Breakfast Bowls 2 Ways - A healthy and hearty way to start your morning; sweet or savory!

I will be honest and say that I was somewhat apprehensive about implementing quinoa in my breakfast dishes. I’m just so used to adding quinoa to my buddha bowls or as a dinner side. I never thought you could use it for sweet dishes but once I caved, I’ve never gone back.

Quinoa is an excellent versatile option for breakfast. You can make it sweet, like I have discovered, or you can keep it savory.

This recipe is fun and so easy to incorporate for your breakfast meal prep. You can simply cook up four servings, taking ½ cup from that to do whatever your heart's desire.

If you want to lean towards the savory side of the quinoa breakfast bowl then you can add roasted veggies, greens, a fried egg, half of an avocado, and possibly another protein source.

For something sweet, add cocoa powder, plant-based milk, honey, nut butter, superfood toppings, and assorted fruits.

Whatever way you prefer, quinoa is very easy to incorporate into your diet and pairs well with many foods. It’s gluten-free, high in protein, and one of the few plant foods that contains a sufficient amount of all nine essential amino acids.

If you try this recipe, let us know! Leave a comment, rate it, and don’t forget to tag a photo to #fromtherootsblog on Instagram. We love seeing what you come up with!

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Quinoa Breakfast Bowls 2 Ways - A healthy and hearty way to start your morning; sweet or savory!

Sweet Way

• ½ cup cooked quinoa

• 1 cup plant-based milk

• 2 tsp cocoa powder

• 1 Tbsp honey or pure maple syrup

• 1 Tbsp nut butter

Toppings

Fruits, coconut flakes, chia seeds, hemp seeds, dairy-free yogurt, dark chocolate

Savory Way

• ½ cup cooked quinoa

• Small handful of assorted greens

• Fried egg

• Roasted veggies

• Half of an avocado

Toppings

Hemp seeds, hot sauce, nutritional yeast flakes, lemon, salt and pepper

How to cook quinoa

1. Rinse quinoa in a fine mesh sieve until water runs clear. Drain and transfer to a medium pot.

2. Add 2 cups water, pinch of salt and bring to a boil.

3. Cover, reduce heat to medium low and simmer until water is absorbed (about 15-20 minutes).

4. Set aside off heat for 5 minutes. Uncover and fluff with a fork. Makes 4 servings.

5. You could also follow the same process but in a rice cooker.

Fluffy Gluten-Free Pancakes

A must have recipe to keep in your arsenal of breakfast recipes!

After seven months of testing out this recipe, I am finally here to say that this is my most favorite gluten-free pancake mix! It’s been a long road but so worth it! You’re probably wondering, why this long!?

Well, I didn’t want to compromise a pancake’s flavor, texture, and simplicity so I basically did everything against that for so long. You see, like the world’s view on nutrition in how it may seem complicated, overly expensive, and trendy, that was the viewpoint I was taking. Strip all that away, and now you’re left with a no-fail, go-to, gluten-free pancake recipe.

But like most gluten-free pancake mixes, you need to know some tips in order to make them fluffy like a regular buttermilk pancake.

Tip #1: Let that batter rest!

Tip #2: If using eggs, be sure to use at least one egg white.

Tip #3: Make sure your baking powder and baking soda is fresh.

Tip #4: Do not over-stir the batter

Tip #5: Make sure the batter is of a thicker consistency.

These are great tips I have learned throughout my years of cooking Saturday stacks for my husband, going on 5 years now! We are a bit pancake obsessed.

Have you ever wondered why you’re still hungry after eating a plate of pancakes? Well, regular pancakes do not contain high amount of healthy fats and protein so even if you are not gluten intolerant, these pancakes provides the perfect amount of density to keep you fuller longer!

This GF pancake mix is also very forgiving so if you would like to add fresh fruit, chocolate chips, or additional spices, you can!

If you try this recipe, let us know! Leave a comment, rate it, and don’t forget to tag a photo to #fromtherootsblog on Instagram. We love seeing what you come up with!

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Ingredients

• ½ cup superfine almond flour

• ½ cup GF whole grain oat flour

• ¼ cup arrowroot starch/flour

• ⅓ cup plant based milk

• 2 whole eggs

• 1 egg white

• 1 tsp vanilla extract

• 1 tsp organic cane sugar

• 1 tsp baking powder

• ½ tsp baking soda

• ½ tsp ground cinnamon

Directions

1. In a small bowl, whisk dry ingredients.

2. In a different bowl, whip egg white and eggs until fluffy. Incorporate the rest of the wet ingredients to the eggs until combined.

3. Slowly whisk wet ingredients into dry ingredients. Do not over-mix.

4. Let your batter rest for at least 15 minutes.

5. Heat a large skillet or griddle on low-medium heat or at 375 degrees.

6. Grease skillet or griddle with butter.

7. When the skillet/griddle is hot, using a small ladle or ¼ measuring cup, ladle pancake mixture onto skillet.

8. Cook until small bubbles appear on the surface of the pancake. Slip a spatula underneath, flip and cook for 1-2 minutes until cooked through.

9. Repeat the same process for the second batch.

10. Top pancakes with your favorite toppings like almond butter, blueberries, chocolate chips, and maple syrup!

Notes

1. Makes 6-7 medium size pancakes

2. Here are the flour brands I use for this recipe: superfine almond flour, GF whole grain oat flour, and arrowroot starch/flour.

Pumpkin Pie Chia Pudding

Pumpkin Pie Chia Pudding - Simple, six-ingredient chia pudding that’s thick, creamy and nutritious!

Whether you are tired of hearing about pumpkin spice or can’t get enough, this recipe is perfect for both parties! The only reason why I know this is a fact is that my husband says so! Haha.

Usually, after photos have been taken, Michael will stick one ear out of the room to wait for those magic words: “Honey, would you like to eat this?” This time, he ate the entire jar before I could tell him what the special ingredient is in my chia pudding! For the record, he despises pumpkin pie spice everything!

See, I say this to tell you that pumpkin spice is here to stay! Not because of the spice, but because of the pumpkin that usually follows it! Pumpkin is an awesome fruit that is highly nutritious! Two of my favorite health benefits of pumpkin is that pumpkin is a powerful source of fiber and contains beta-carotene.

Have you ever wondered how orange vegetables and fruits have vibrant colors? It’s because of this powerful antioxidant called beta-carotene! Our body converts beta-carotene into vitamin A which is an essential vitamin for our bodies. We need vitamin A for healthy skin, a strong immune system, and good eye health. That is why I love pumpkin so much!

Enjoy this pumpkin pie chia pudding for breakfast, as a snack or even as a dessert. I’m sure chia pudding would be good warm but I have only tested this chilled. You can also use the leftover pumpkin puree in pumpkin pie protein smoothie or the elevated pumpkin spice latte recipe found on my Instagram.

If you try this recipe, let us know! Leave a comment, rate it, and don’t forget to tag a photo to #fromtherootsblog on Instagram. We love seeing what you come up with!

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Pumpkin Pie Chia Pudding - Simple, six-ingredient chia pudding that’s thick, creamy and nutritious! 

INGREDIENTS

• 1 Tbsp heaping pumpkin puree

• 2 Tbsp chia seeds

• 1/2 cup almond milk (or milk of choice)

• 1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice seasoning

• 1/2 scoop vanilla protein powder (optional)

• 1 Tbsp honey

DIRECTIONS

1. In a small mason jar or container, combine all ingredients until fully combined.

2. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2-3 hours or overnight.

3. Eat chilled and top with your favorite toppings like pepitas, coconut flakes, bee pollen, pecans, honey, nut butter, or pomegranate seeds.

Paleo Banana Nut Bread

Paleo banana nut bread that is naturally sweetened with just bananas!

Banana nut bread has been a favorite of mine since childhood. Watching cartoons with my favorite blanket in hand and the smell of banana bread in the air was absolutely comforting! Well, not much has changed because I still love that scenario with the switch from cartoons to Grey’s Anatomy!

While this paleo bread is naturally sweetened, you are not missing out on anything when it comes to flavor. For this recipe, it’s best to use ripened bananas to really encapture the natural sweetness of the bananas into the bread. I only add the maple syrup in case you desire a sweeter banana bread. Coconut and almond flour is used instead of white flour as the flour combination are lower in carbs, higher in fiber and a better option for people with food allergies/paleo friendly.

The end result is a healthier moist bread that can be enjoyed for breakfast, dessert or as a snack! My favorite way to enjoy this bread is with peanut butter. Paired with a morning green smoothie, this is a very filling breakfast.

Have fun with the recipe and add chocolate chips or different types of nuts/seeds if you would like!

If you try this recipe, let us know! Leave a comment, rate it, and don’t forget to tag a photo to #fromtherootsblog on Instagram. We love seeing what you come up with!

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Paleo banana nut bread that is naturally sweetened with just bananas!

INGREDIENTS

• 3 ripe bananas (mashed)

• 3 large eggs (lightly whisked)

• 1 tsp baking soda

• 1/2 tsp baking powder

• 1/4 cup + 2 Tbsp coconut oil (melted)

• 1/2 tsp cinnamon

• 2 Tbsp maple syrup (optional)

• 1/4 tsp salt

• 1 tsp vanilla extract

• 1/2 cup coconut flour

• 1/2 cup almond flour (finely ground)

• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a loaf pan or line loaf pan with parchment paper.

2. In a large bowl, combine bananas, eggs, coconut oil, maple syrup, and vanilla extract. Whisk until fully combined.

3. In a separate bowl, combine baking soda and powder, cinnamon, salt, and flours.

4. Slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients until fully combined. Depending on how large your bananas were, you may need to add a liquid like coconut oil if your mixture is too dry. If your mixture is too runny, slowly add more almond flour. The batter should be wet but thick. Gently fold in walnuts to the batter.

5. Pour batter into loaf pan and bake for 45-50 minutes until cooked through and the top is brown.

6. Cool in pan for about 10 minutes before transferring to a cool rack. Enjoy!